The Wandering Jew — Volume 04 eBook

splendor, the work-girl felt her heart sink within
her. She believed Adrienne insane; and yet, as
she looked attentively at her, it seemed as if intelligence
and grace animated that adorable countenance.
Suddenly, Mdlle. de Cardoville laid her fingers upon
her lips, blew a couple of kisses in the direction
towards which she had been looking, and all at once
disappeared. Reflecting upon the important revelations
which Agricola had to make to Mdlle. de Cardoville,
Mother Bunch regretted bitterly that she had no means
of approaching her; for she felt sure that, if the
young lady were mad, the present was a lucid interval.
She was yet absorbed in these uneasy reflections, when
she saw Florine return, accompanied by one of the
nuns. Mother Bunch was obliged, therefore, to
keep silence with regard to the discovery she had made,
and soon after she found herself in the superior’s
presence. This latter, after a rapid and searching
examination of the countenance of the young workwoman,
judged her appearance so timid, gentle and honest,
that she thought she might repose full confidence
in the information given by Florine.

“My dear daughter,” said Mother Sainte-Perpetue,
in an affectionate voice, “Florine has told
me in what a cruel situation you are placed. Is
it true that you are entirely without work?”

“Alas! yes, madame.”

“Call me mother, my dear daughter; that name
is dearer to me, and it is the rule of our house.
I need not ask you what are your principles?”

“I have always lived honestly by my labor, mother,”
answered the girl, with a simplicity at once dignified
and modest.

“I believe you, my dear daughter, and I have
good reasons for so doing. We must thank the
Lord, who has delivered you from temptation; but tell
me—­are you clever at your trade?”

“I do my best, mother, and have always satisfied
my employers. If you please to try me, you will
be able to judge.”

“Your affirmation is sufficient, my dear daughter.
You prefer, I think, to go out by the day?”

“Mdlle. Florine told me, mother, that I
could not have work at home.”

“Why, no—­not for the present, my
child. If hereafter an opportunity should offer,
I will think of it. Just now I have this to propose
to you. A very respectable old lady has asked
me to recommend to her a needle-woman by the day;
introduced by me, you will certainly suit her.
The institution will undertake to clothe you becomingly,
and this advance we shall retain by degrees out of
your wages, for you will look to us for payment.
We propose to give you two francs a day; does that
appear to you sufficient?”

“Oh, mother! it is much more than I could have
expected.”

“You will, moreover, only be occupied from nine
o’clock in the morning till six in the evening;
you will thus have still some off hours, of which
you might make use. You see, the situation is
not a hard one.”